Animal control detains pit bulls suspected of Northeast Tacoma attack

Tacoma animal control officers have detained two pit bulls suspected of attacking a woman Friday.

The woman was attacked in the parking lot of the North Point Smoke Shop at 6210 29th St. NE, according to Puyallup Tribal Police.

Workers at the shop tried to intervene, and one fired gunshots, at which point the dogs fled, police said.

The woman was taken to a local hospital, underwent 12 hours of surgery, and has since been released, tribal spokesman John Weymer said.

Police are still investigating, and no arrests have been made.

Tips came in as to the whereabouts of the dogs, and witnesses helped identify them, Weymer said.

Tribal police asked Tacoma animal control to pick up the dogs, and officers arrived at 6:30 p.m. Monday and took the animals to quarantine at 7:30 p.m., Tacoma police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said.

The dogs will be quarantined until 10 days after the attack to make sure they don’t present a public health threat, she said.

After that, Cool said, “They will not be released to the owners until the case is adjudicated in court.”

Should they be deemed to be dangerous animals, they will not be allowed to live in Pierce County, she said.

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Animal control detains pit bulls suspected of Northeast Tacoma attack."